Display panel

Abstract

A display panel ( 100 A) includes a display region (DA) including a plurality of pixel regions and a frame region provided around the display region. The display region includes an organic insulating layer ( 22 ) provided on a display medium layer side of a pixel TFT. The frame region includes a seal portion ( 32 ), a driving circuit ( 30 ), and an extended portion of the organic insulating layer. The extended portion of the organic insulating layer is provided on a display medium layer side of driver TFTs ( 30 A, 30 B) and has at least one opening ( 22 a ) which is positioned outer than the driver TFTs and which reaches an underlayer. The seal portion ( 32 ) overlaps at least part of the driver TFTs and covers at least part of the at least one opening ( 22 a ) provided in the extended portion of the organic insulating layer.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A display panel, comprising:
 a first substrate; 
 a second substrate that opposes the first substrate; 
 a display medium layer provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; 
 a seal portion provided between the first substrate and the second substrate so as to enclose the display medium layer; 
 a plurality of pixel regions each including first and second electrodes that apply a voltage across the display medium layer and a pixel TFT connected with the first electrode; and 
 a driving circuit that supplies a predetermined signal voltage to the pixel TFT of each of the plurality of pixel regions, the driving circuit including a plurality of driver TFTs, wherein 
 the display panel includes a display region including the plurality of pixel regions and a frame region provided around the display region, 
 the display region further includes an organic insulating layer provided on the display medium layer side of the pixel TFT, 
 the frame region includes the seal portion, the driving circuit, and an extended portion of the organic insulating layer, 
 the extended portion of the organic insulating layer is provided on the display medium layer side of the plurality of driver TFTs, is overlapped by at least a portion of the plurality of driver TFTs, and includes at least one opening which is positioned farther outward than the plurality of driver TFTs and which reaches an underlayer, 
 the seal portion overlaps at least a portion of the plurality of driver TFTs and covers at least a portion of the at least one opening provided in the extended portion of the organic insulating layer, and 
 the at least one opening provided in the extended portion of the organic insulating layer is covered with an inorganic insulating layer. 
 
     
     
       2. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening provided in the extended portion of the organic insulating layer includes a plurality of grooves extending parallel to one another. 
     
     
       3. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening provided in the extended portion of the organic insulating layer continuously extends to at least one side of the first substrate. 
     
     
       4. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening provided in the extended portion of the organic insulating layer encloses the display region. 
     
     
       5. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one opening provided in the extended portion of the organic insulating layer is further covered with an inorganic layer or a metal layer. 
     
     
       6. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the underlayer in the at least one opening provided in the extended portion of the organic insulating layer is an inorganic layer or a metal layer. 
     
     
       7. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the seal portion contains no electrically-conductive particle. 
     
     
       8. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of driver TFTs includes a bottom gate TFT. 
     
     
       9. The display panel of  claim 8 , wherein the bottom gate TFT includes an etch stop structure. 
     
     
       10. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of driver TFTs has an In—Ga—Zn—O based semiconductor layer. 
     
     
       11. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the display medium layer is a liquid crystal layer. 
     
     
       12. The display panel of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second electrodes are provided in the first substrate and the display panel operates in a transverse electric field mode. 
     
     
       13. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the underlayer in the at least opening provided in the extended portion of organic insulating layer is an inorganic layer. 
     
     
       14. The display panel of  claim 1 , wherein the underlayer in the at least opening provided in the extended portion of organic insulating layer is an inorganic insulating layer.